This my story of being an American in Montana and my pursuit of Muscles, Wisdom and other random shit along the way.

Something Is Better Than Nothing!

So I would like to believe I’m one of those people that will give 100% no matter what it is I’m doing…But, like most people, Once in a while I find myself in circumstances beyond my control and giving 100% just isn’t an option.

During these times it might seem easier just to do nothing, I have a valid excuse right? But I like to lean towards doing “something” It is better than nothing, perhaps you disagree and maybe you think 100% effort in everything you do is possible… I’m just trying to be realistic.

So when it comes to bettering yourself, doing “Something” is almost always better than nothing at all. Unless the “Something” you’re thinking of happens to be “eating Doritos while watching Oprah re-runs” or “Calling the Psychic Hotline for fitness advice”…The most difficult part of getting healthy can simply be making the first move.

Taking the first step out of your house for a run…

Mixing up the first ingredients for a healthy meal…

Saying “No” to that first tasty doughnut at work…

Waking up earlier than usual so you have time to exercise…

Or in my case this evening, taking the time to write this article, I told myself I would spend a certain amount of time each day to writing, it’s my therapy, my release and sticking with it even when I feel like doing something else is important in many ways.

The argument could be made that taking the first step is even more crucial if you’re “just” getting started for the first time. If you’re overweight, out of shape, and having a rough time in your life. The thought of exercising on a daily basis probably seems daunting to you. If you’ve never run a mile before, a marathon probably seems like some fantasy that only imaginary people run. Or what If you’re trying to get out of the thousands of dollars of credit card debt you find yourself in, saving a few dollars here and there might seem like a waste of time.

Keeping your head screwed on tight during these stressful times is also important. Remember to keep your composure, and think to yourself that something is better than nothing at all.

If you don’t have time for a full workout, Do half of it.

You can’t do a full push up, Do half of one.

Can’t run a full mile, Walk it (this is what I usually do… Hate running)

If you’re going out of town and there’s only bad food. Do the best you can to eat healthy for as many meals possible

If you can’t pay off $200 bucks a month. Do $100 or $50 or even $25

So..Is “Something” really better than Nothing?

You might be thinking.. “This just seems like a lot of half-assing going on here” and what ever happened to giving it your best in everything you do?

Okay let me clarify this shit, you’re not half-assing it if you can’t do something all the way for a legitimate reason. For example. Weather, unexpected work projects, your kid gets sick, flight delays, food poisoning, whatever.. “Shit Happens and Life Doesn’t Always Go According To Plan”

So in these types of circumstances, I would advocate for “Something” over doing nothing at all.

We humans are creatures of habit, each day we make decisions that will either take us one step closer or one step farther from our goals. When our goal is trying to get into shape, working on good eating habits and positive reinforcement is a key factor for having long-term success.

If you tell yourself it’s okay to “skip just this one workout” the next time you have a conflict arise it will just be that much easier to “I’ll skip just this one too”.

But… If you can drag your ass out the door for a workout even when you really don’t want to, it will be easier to convince yourself “Hey, I did it last time, I can do it this time as well”

So it doesn’t matter if you don’t have time for the whole workout, Half of it is so much better than none at all. Not only are you burning more calories than you would if you skipped it and you’re also planting an “I’m getting my ass healthy” seed in the front of your mind for the rest of the day. Which hopefully will influence you to make other good choices throughout the day as well.

It can be easy for us all to get overwhelmed at times by looking too far ahead into the future and freaking out. Take things one small change at a time, one day at a time and focus on putting one foot in front of the other…You can figure the rest out as you go.

So this turns out to be the easiest part to try and explain to you, but might be the hardest part to implement.

Shut Up…Stop Complaining…Stop Making Excuses…Suck It Up. And Do Something…Do Anything!!

“No one believes your excuses except for you”

We all have crappy situations and circumstances that we are dealing with in our lives, Not enough time, Too tired, Bad day at work, Girlfriend cheated on me, Lost my job, My cat ran away. Whatever. These things will only be your downfall if you let them. If you really want to start living a better life, you will need to stop using these excuses as crutches to make yourself feel better about avoiding your responsibilities.

So go do something…Go do anything.

If you haven’t exercised in a month or so, go for a walk on your lunch break. If you have eaten 20 unhealthy meals in a row, make tonight the first healthy meal. If you usually chain smoke 30 cigs a day, aim for 29 or 28. Aim to be better, no matter how small the difference is. Every little bit counts, every little bit helps.